Reflecting enclosure for christmas tree lights



Oct. 30, 1956 E. B. SlNUTKO 2,769,081

REFLECTING ENCLOSURE FUR CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTS Filed April 27, 1953 Z/ZFBET/f 3. swam 0,

INVENTOR.

United States Patent 2,769,081 REFLECTING ENCLOSURE FOR CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTS Elizabeth B. Sinutko, Altadena, Calif. Application April 27, 1953, Serial No. 351,104. 12 Claims. (Cl. 240-) This invention relates to a Christmas tree ornament, and particularly to an ornament of the type adapted to enclose a Christmas tree light in a manner providing ornamental light patterns on surrounding objects.

Conventional ornaments of the type adapted to be mounted adjacent the bulbs of Christmas tree lights, in order to reflect light from the bulb and provide a more striking effect, are generally characterized by the fact that no predetermined light patterns are provided on surrounding objects. With mirror-type reflector shields, for example, the shield merely reflects light in a generally forward direction or parallel to the bulb axis. There is thus no sharply defined pattern of light, but only a brilliance in the eyes of the observer. Other characteristics of conventional Christmas tree ornaments of the type indicated are their bulk, which makes shipping diflicult, and their fragility, the latter not only increasing shipping hazards but increasing the danger of breakage after the ornaments have been mounted on a Christmas tree. In addition, such ornaments are not pleasing to the eye during the daytime, when the lights are off, since the unlighted bulb remains exposed to view.

In view of the above factors characterizing the field of Christmas tree ornaments of the type indicated, it is an object of the present invention to provide a Christmas tree ornament which when mounted around a Christmas tree bulb will provide a predetermined spiral light pattern on surrounding objects.

Another object of the invention is to provide an ornament of the type described which is substantially unbreakable, is flexible, and is readily collapsed into small spacev for shipping purposes.

A further object is to provide a Christmas tree decora; tion which is highly ornamental even when the enclosed bulb is in an unlighted condition.

A further object is to provide an ornament which shields the enclosed bulb from view, and which protects the bulbs of outdoor-type lights from the effects of rain, snow, etc.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention are more fully set forth in the following description of an embodiment of the invention, considered in connection with the attached drawing to which they relate.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view of a Christmas tree, illustrating a string of Christmas tree lights provided with the present ornament;

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the ornament just prior to its mounting on a conventional Christmas tree light; and

Figure 3 is a vertical central sectional view illustrating the ornament in mounted condition.

Referring to the drawing, the ornaments are indicated generally by the reference character 10, and are mounted one on each light unit 11 of a string 12 of Christmas tree lights, the latter being positioned on a Christmas tree 13. The light unit 11 is illustrated as being of a standard variety, embodying an insulating base 14 and a generally conical light bulb 16. Base 14 is cylindrical except where it merges with a flange or boss portion 17 adjacent bulb 16, the boss 17 normally serving as the means for retaining a reflecting shield in position.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, each ornament 10 is formed with a light-enclosing or reflecting portion 18, and

with a mounting portion 19 adapted to be mounted over 2,769,081 Patented Oct. 30, 1956 "ice light base 14 to retain portion 18 in position enclosing the light bulb 16. According to the invention, the reflecting and light-enclosing portion 18 comprises a convoluted spring formed of a single strip of aluminum or other material having reflecting sulfaces and the desired qualities of lightness, resilience, etc. Although the lightenclosing element 18 may be described as a convoluted spring, the individual convolutions 21 are not cylinders but instead are frusto-conical in shape. The convolutions 21 are axially offset so that each convolution overlaps the adjacent one but is spaced laterally therefrom to provide light passages 22 which are inclined so as to be generally in line with the light bulb 16. The passages 22 combine to form a continuous helical or spiral passage adapted to transmit light rays from bulb 16 and form a sharply defined spiral pattern on any obstructing object. The width of the various portions of the spiral is largely determined by the spacing between the convolutions 21, the spacing being relatively great at the upper portion of the ornament and tight at the lower portion or end indicated at 23. At the extreme end 23, the convolutions 21 are shown as being in surface contact.

Referring to Figure 3, the inner edges 24 of the convolutions 21 combine to form a geometric cone, and are preferably spaced'a substantial distance from the corresponding conical wall of light bulb 16. The outer portions of the convolutions 21 are, on the other hand, not truly conical in shape but instead give the general appearance of a pine cone when viewed from the outside as shown in Figure 2. To enhance this pine cone effect, for example in daylight when the bulb 16 is not lit, the outer surface of a strip which forms the convoluted spring may be coated with a reflecting tan or brown substance. However, the inner surface of the strip need not be ornamental since it is not normally viewed by the observer although it is adapted to reflect light as previously indicated.

The base or mounting portion 19' of ornament 10 is shown as being a rubber element shaped as a frusto-cone 26 with an upper wall 27. The outer surface of the frusto-cone 26 is secured to the inner surfaces of the adjacent convolutions 21, two convolutions being brought together for this purpose, and the upper wall 27 is cut into pie-shaped segments as shown in Figure 2. With this construction, it is merely necessary to push the upper end of the ornament 10 over the pointed lower end of bulb 16 and over the flange or boss portion 17 of base 11, the resiliency of the downwardly bent pie-shaped segments of wall 27 then holding the ornament in position as shown in Figure 3.

In the manufacture of the ornament 10, the lightenclosing portion 18 may be made by spirally winding a strip of metal into a coil or preferably by forming a shaving formed on a lathe from aluminum stock by simple lathe operations. After the portion 18 is wound or turned, the rubber mounting portion 19 is cemented in position and the manufacture completed. As previously indicated, however, the outer visible surface of the portion 18 may be coated with a colored refiecting'substance, this operation being preferably performed prior to positioning of the base element 19. After the ornament is manufactured,

it is compressed or inwardly telescoped to form a compact mass of tightly spaced convolutions 21 in all regions not occupied by the frusto-conical portion 26 of mounting 19. After shipping, the natural resilience of the ornaments causes them to resume the shape shown in Figures 2 and 3 upon their mere removal from the shipping container. In ornaments formed of aluminum, the individual strips which make up the portion 18 are brittle and are easily broken when bent in a direction transverse to the length of the strip. Nevertheless, the light-enclosing portion 18 is extremely resilient and may be readily stretched and compressed when shaped as described in connection with Figures 2 and 3. A convoluted spring thus results where the ornament portion 18 is formed of aluminum or similar substance, but it is not necessary to the invention that the ornament be resilient or even formed of metal so long as the desired light-enclosing and reflecting properties are present.

In the use of the ornament, a pine cone effect is created during the daytime and when the string of lights is in an unlighted condition. This is to be distinguished from conventional reflectors which are not pleasing to the eye except when the lights are turned on. When the lights 16 are in a lighted condition, particularly at night and in a darkened room, a spiral light pattern is created through passage of light beams through the various passages 22 between the individual convolutions 21. Referring again to Figure 3, an illustrative light beam 29 is indicated as emanating from the base of bulb 16, then reflecting back and forth between the walls of convolutions 21a and 2112 until the outer edge of convolution 21a is reached. Due to the axial spacing between the convolutions 21a and 2112, the light beam is last reflected in the region indicated at 30 at the outer portion of convolution 21b. Accordingly, the region of convolution 21b generally outwardly of point 30 does not reflect any light and forms a darkened region separating the individual whorls of the light spiral. The whorls of the spiral are thus separated by sharply defined dark regions, the dark regions being relatively narrow toward the center of the light spiral which corresponds to the closely spaced convolutions at the lower end 23 of the ornament.

The invention thus provides an unbreakable, collapsible, and readily packed ornament which provides a distinct and novel appearance during the daytime, and a distinctive and predetermined light pattern at night when the lights 16 are in lighted condition. Furthermore, the overlapped convolutions 21 shield the light itself from view, and from the harmful efiects of rain, etc., when the lights are used outdoors.

While the particular device herein shown and described in detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred. embodiments of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An ornament adapted to be mounted around a Christmas tree light, which comprises a conically coiled strip wound in the eneral shape of a hollow cone with individual convolutions spaced from each other, said strip being adapted at the wide end of said cone to be supported about the base of a Christmas tree light to form the sole support for said strip, said strip having reflecting surfaces to aid in the transmission of light rays from the Christmas tree light concealed therewithin outwardly through the spaces between said individual convolutions.

2. The invention as claimed in claim 1, in which said individual convolutions are partially overlapped and generally frusto conical in shape.

3. The invention as claimed in claim 2, in which the wide portion of each of said frusto conical individual convolutions is relatively remote, as compared to the narrow portion thereof, from the base of said light.

4. The invention as claimed in claim 1, in which said strip has reflecting surfaces on both of its sides, and is formed of resilient metal permitting telescoping thereof during storage and shipment.

5. The invention as claimed in claim 4, wherein said strip is formed of aluminum.

6. The invention as claimed in claim 1, in which said strip is a metal shaving formed on a lathe,

7. An ornamental reflecting enclosure for mounting around a Christmas tree light having a base and a. bulb,

which comprises a resilient metal strip wound in the general shape of a hollow conical convoluted spring and with individual convolutions spaced from each other to form light passages while concealing the light bulb therewithin, said strip being formed with reflecting surfaces on both of its sides to aid in the transmission of light through said passages, and means at one end of said strip to mount the same on said light base in enclosing relation relative to said bulb, whereby light rays from said bulb are directed through said light passages to provide various ornamental effects depending upon the color of said bulb.

8. The invention as claimed in claim 7, wherein said mounting means is at the wide bore end of said conical convoluted spring, and said strip is a shaving formed on a lathe and having loosely wound frusto conical partially overlapped convolutions adjacent said base and tightly wound resiliently supported end convolutions remote from said base.

9. A decorative ornament adapted to be supported solely from the base of a Christmas tree light so as to surround and enclose the light bulb, said ornament comprising a conelike reflector formed by a spirally wound strip of resilient material having the edges of consecutive convolutions overlapping and with its inner rim edges adapted to cooperate with a lamp base to form an enclosure for the end and side walls of a lamp and spaced outwardly from contact with the lamp, said ornament providing a spiral opening for light between the reflective surfaces of said spirally wound strip.

10. A decorative ornament as defined in claim 9 which is readily collapsible into a closely wound roll for shipment and packaging, and having a resilient collar secured to its larger-diameter end adapted to stretch over and firmly seat about the base of a lamp to be supported thereby with it's smaller-diameter end hanging pendant fashion below the lamp.

11. A decorative reflector ornament for use as an enclosure for an electric light of the type employed in decorating Christmas trees, said ornament comprising a coiled strip of resilient light-reflective material having its inner end adapted to remain coiled as the other end is extended axially therefrom to provide a convoluted enclosure for a Christmas tree type light and having an unobstructed interior chamber somewhat larger than a Christmas tree type light, and means on the extended end of said ornament for detachably supporting the same about the base of the light, the weight of said coiled strip being adapted to hold said ornament extended free of contact with the light when said light extends downwardly from its base.

12. A decorative ornament formed from a coiled strip of resilient material having at least an exterior lightreflective surface, said coiled strip having a tightly wound inner end which is not readily extendable axially and a plurality of larger-diameter conically-wound layers which are readily extendable in one direction axially of said coil, and inwardly tanged means at the large-diameter end of said coil adapted to be snapped about a support for said ornament and providing the means for supporting the same in a resiliently-suspended manner and held extended under the influence of its own weight.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Germany Mar. 10, 1952 

